VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL

Would you think I’m crazy (which you probably already do) if I told you that when we sing worship songs we don’t just sing to God? (Aghast!) Of course, we sing FOR God. It is FOR Him and ABOUT Him and UNTO Him, but when we sing on Sunday mornings we also sing TO one another. Here’s a great passage about this from Ephesians 5:

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Ephesians 5:18-20 (ESV)

Of course we can see clearly in this passage that the object of our worship is the Lord. We are to “make melody to the Lord” and to do so “with your heart.” This is another reminder that God doesn’t want lip service, he wants genuine worship from our hearts. 

BUT we also see another amazing truth about worship. Paul (the guy who wrote Ephesians), tells these Christians that as they are filled or controlled by the Spirit, they ought to address, speak, or sing TO ONE ANOTHER in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. So I believe that when Spirit-filled people get together and sing, we actually sing TO each other and TO the Lord, and God is glorified and we are built up and edified by one another. How cool is that!? And doesn’t this ring true? When you’ve looked around as we sing on Sunday mornings and you see your brothers and sisters in Christ singing with you, doesn’t it fill you up? Doesn’t it excite you and motivate you to sing louder and more boldly?

This is a worship that is VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL. It is vertical in that we sing TO God, and horizontal in that we sing TO one another and are mutually encouraged and built up. 

This also reminds me of Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” As we sing together I believe we can stir one another up; we can motivate, encourage, inspire, and excite each other to worship, grow, and devote ourselves to Christ. 

My hope is that we are mindful of this when we come together to worship, and that we would seek to sing to, and encourage one another.

OUR SONGS FOR SUNDAY

Here are the songs we’ll be singing this upcoming Sunday. I encourage you to listen to them either on Youtube or Spotify throughout the week to become familiar with them and to enhance your time of worshiping the Lord.

Songs this Sunday (3/26)

1. The Lion and The Lamb
2. Lamb of God
3. In Christ Alone
4. Cornerstone
5. O Praise The Name

[Link to Youtube] 

[Link to Spotify]

Click here to download the lyrics for these songs.

LAMB OF GOD

This Sunday we’ll be singing a song called “Lamb of God” by Vertical Worship. This is a wonderful song that reminds us of Jesus’ incredible sacrifice on the cross and his role as the lamb of God who was slain for us. The title of this song is the title that John the Baptist calls Jesus when he sees him come to be baptized, “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 | ESV)

Below are the lyrics for this song for you to meditate upon this week as you worship the Lord. Click here If you’d like to know more about the creation of this song.

Verse 1
You came from heaven’s throne
Acquainted with our sorrow
To trade the debt we owed
Your suffering for our freedom

Chorus
The Lamb of God in my place
Your blood poured out, my sin erased
It was my death You died
I am raised to life
Hallelujah, the Lamb of God

Verse 2
My name upon Your heart
My shame upon Your shoulders
The power of sin undone
The cross for my salvation

Bridge
There is no greater love
There is no greater love
The Savior lifted up
There is no greater love

This song echoes many truths from Isaiah 53, an amazing prophecy about Christ. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;” (Isaiah 53:3-4 | ESV)

The authors were inspired to write the bridge of this song as they reflected on this incredible verse. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 | ESV) 

May you be filled up and overwhelmed by the love of Christ as you meditate on this song this week. 

Can’t wait for Sunday!